The Memphis appeal. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1886-1890, 1887-09-07
A BRUTAL OUTRAGE.
ssuarekeeper Rogers Takes ths
Palm for Kun inlsm.
A Little white Boy Orseily Beats.
and Dragged 20 she Station
house for NO 0nense.

Police and flfe OonmisoOueisi Brhoo
of God and forbearance Of q too pa
tient public, rules over COURT Square
and expands to massive proportions
under a painfully apparent inward
sense Of his own importance. The
little episode OF few weeks since,
wherein little Jew was dragged TO
the station house for q possible Of
tense, has been ecllpsed, sunk into In
significance. The tina has now come
for a demand from every sitisen that
the red haired despoier Of law and
order be relocated to the shades Of
stained private life. 1! is no hearssy
case, but one which fell under the OBJ
servation OF score OF attaches OF the
AprRAL Office and several outsiders.
Between 4 and 8 O'Clock yesterday
afternoon DR.. J. W. Nelson, Of o.
Madison street, invoked the aid OF the
holy terror to siokly and IN dersized
men and puny boys. Ia the rearyard
OF the d jctor there stands a peach
tree, on which 10 fle crop OF green,
hard and small peaches, each and
every one OF which 10 covered with
dust and SCOT, the accumulation oil
many weske. A limb Of this tired
hangs conveniently for Taseersby out.N
side the wall, and 1t seems boys have
been despoiliDg 1t Of the cholera pro-
ducing fruit. Yesterday afternoon the
owner eepled boy helping himself,
and forthwith went after Rogers. OF
course he volunteered Tor the 90.
canon, as the prospective victim
was little ufchin. As the
great and only lord Of Memphis
rounded the corner, the lybx.ered
purloiner Of peaches ran like q quarter
horse, taking short cut through the
APPEAL Office. The raiding officer, to
show his absence Il fear, boldly
marched TO the scene, took In the
surroundings, and "spotted" little
thirteen-y carol neweboy named I'd.
Flvnn sitting In rear Of the APPEAL
off 20 suffering from temporary illness.
Upon him Rogers pounced, and
ssizsd him by the am. Ignorant OF
his actual arrest, the boy complained
Of the rough handling by r gers,
stating that no bad done nothing, and
was not under arrest, following II up
With an attempt TO free bimte.f Then
began one OF the most brutal,
cowsrdly aud ruff inly acts that ever
disgraced the polics unifOTm Of Men,
phis. Throwing the boy vio-
lently TO the rough s,ono pave
ment, Rogers belaboTed him with
the heavy club carried by him, by
courtesy called walking stick. Five
or elk blows were administered, the
noise OF which, toge her with the lit-
tie victims cries Of pain. attracted the
employees in the ArrEAL composing
room 10 the resr windows. Taking In
the situation, and overcome by just
indignation, they demanded that the
belaooring cease. Finding that his
brutal acts weie witnessed, he caught
Flynn by the arm aud dragged him
through the alley 10 Second street,
thence through Court Square, where
Q negro man was sum noned TO his ~.
sistance, and the two dragged him y
way Of an alley TO the siaiionhouss.
Two great, burly, muscular men, az
resting one poor little puny thirteen
year old boy, email tor his yesre Apgek
weep over the fpeGtAciei The boy
landed at the station crying piteously,
partly from the humiliation to which
he ives subjected, but mostly from the
painful bruises received from the club
OF Rogers and the dragging over the
stone pavement. Mr.. Nathan Picard,
editor Of the Soimilar, witnessed part
OF the inhuman transaction, aud
upon learning tho fmsy preieIt
on which II was based, biz indignation
knew no bounds. There was no Ser
geant Hedrick on hsnd IN reprove the
sell constituted pAtlolman and dis.
charge the boy, and no was locked
up. Mr.. Picard waited until Capt.
HAckett put In an appearance, stated
the case, and sAid be would b. respon-
sible for the innocent b We appearance,
whereupon be was released.
There was not ono Of tie scores Of
spectators who pronounce the conduct
anything but . genuine exhibition OF
oowsrdly IuBsnism. Had tho cub.
jet for arrest been hrt-elsss fpeci-
men Of the terrible crap shooter the
occasion would not have demanded
euch violent measures. But every.
thing above related trsnspired, aud
even more. In the face OF
these facts, and remembering
his past brutal outbreaks,
Why do not the authorities take from
Rogers the emblem Of power upon
which he brings disgrsce7 Yea. why
do they not 90 iurths, and punish
him for the vanton way In which he
overrides the rights Of people, trana =
cends his authority snd moeks q
everything like refined sentibilities oil
human nature. Where IL his an.
thority for exerci,ine power outside
the limits OF Court Square, except in
most urgent cases. His duties were
Clearly dsnaed by President MADDEN
when, for some singular resson, that
gentleman rettored 10 him dominion
over the Sqnare. His restoration was
In direct opposition TO public eenti.
ment, spoken without fear, but re-
tentment was checked by the curtail-
ment OF his powerh Given an inch,
he has taken n whole quarter OF the
earth, and thus ruehed into an ohense
that Bhould forever bury him
from sight aa an ofieer. Taking
the relative tizs. Of all parties into 40
count, and also the indispuiable TACT
tina, young Flynn vss guilty. oil ne
crime or ofisnse. The crime Of Rogers
Ii simply enormous. MI MADDEN be-
ing abeent, Capt Jamee Lee, IT,, 10 the
bead OF the Taxing District govern
msnt, and he should Immediately de.
ospltate the present boss Of Court
tqaure. His last ofiense 10 also one into
which the grand jury might probe
with propriety and profit,